Harassment of women journalists: Complaints to be sent to FIA, says Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party and Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday said the issue of harassment of women journalists would be discussed with the other political parties and the recorded statements would be pursued till their logical end.

“On this issue of online harassment of women journalists, anchors and commentators, the officials of Information Ministry and ISPR will also be called. If the PPP is unable to get justice for these women journalists, then it will approach the court,” he said while chairing a committee meeting at the Parliament House.

Leading woman journalists, anchors and commentators also recorded their statements with the committee.

The committee considered the complaints relating to threats given to female journalists and commentators through the social media and also gave an opportunity to the female journalists, who were invited to attend the meeting as special invitees, to brief the committee on their grievances.

Anchors Ghareeda Farooqi, Asma Shirazi, Amber Shamsi, Reema Omer, Benazir Shah, Munizae Jahangir, Tanzeela Mazhar, Aima Khosa, Ramsha Jahangir and Zebunnisa Burki recorded their statements.

Bilawal said raising voice against harassment was a difficult job in Pakistan adding that women journalists had shown great courage by raising their voice.

He said the perpetrators of harassment did not belong to a certain political party.

“The statements of women journalists would be sent out to the FIA,” he told the committee.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari the issue of harassment would also be discussed with other political parties and the recorded statements would be pursued till their logical end.

"Our religion and culture teach us to protect women victims of harassment. There is no justification for threats of rape or death; it is our responsibility to stand with the women journalists," said Bilawal.

Asma Shirazi told the committee that women journalists were being harassed for difference of opinion. She said people twice barged into her house to harass her.

She said efforts were being made to isolate women journalists socially.

"Several women journalists have stopped posting tweets on the social media for fear of harassment."

Amber Shamsi said women journalists were raising their voice against harassment on the social media so that the coming generations could be protected.

Shamsi said she had brought her young daughter so that it should also create courage in her to fight harassment.

She said the families of women journalists were suffering due to harassment.

Reema Omer said harassment of women online was a fact and a successful woman was accused of using her gender to get success.

Benazir Shah alleged that Azhar Mishwani of Punjab government and prime minister's focal person Arsalan Khalid were harassing her online.

Ghareeda Farooqi said she had filed a case against Zartaj Gul who continuously got bail in the case.

“Zartaj Gul pressurized me through the FIA and got that case quashed,” she said.

Aima Khosa said incidents of harassment against women journalists had increased since the PTI government came to power.

Ramsha Jahangir said harassment of women was a planned campaign.

The committee decided to forward the issue of online harassment to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for investigation and will follow the proceedings of investigation regularly.

The committee unanimously condemned the abusive language/harassment/threats given to female journalists/commentators on the social media.

It was also decided that the matter will be taken up with all political parties for the deterrence of such crimes in future.

The meeting was attended by Ghulam Bibi, Saif-ur-Rehman, Attaullah, Ghazala Saifi, Rukhsana Naveed, Ms Zille Huma, Ms Fouzia Behram, Ms Tashfeen Safdar, Moshin Dawar, Ms Shazia Marri, Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju, Ms Zeb Jaffar, Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, Ms Shaza Fatima Khauaja MNAs and Dr Shireen Mazari, Minister for Human Rights.